Written Answers Monday 7 February 2011

Scottish Executive

Cancer

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it did not take part in the study by the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership, published in December 2010, into gaps in cancer survival rates between the United Kingdom and other developed countries.

Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland is not taking part in this particular study as it already takes part in a number of other similar projects and regularly contributes to a study comparing survival rates in European countries (EUROCARE).

  Furthermore, the Scottish Government is investing resources in the development of quality performance indicators and prospective audit data for cancer, as well as continuing to invest in prevention, early detection and better treatment to improving cancer survival rates.

Cancer

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the survival rate was for lung cancer in the periods (a) 1995 to 1999, (b) 2000 to 2002 and (c) 2005 to 2007, broken down by NHS board, and how this compared with the rates in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Comparative survival for lung cancer within the United Kingdom is shown in the following table. It is important to note that survival depends on many factors, including data quality, characteristics of the patients and their tumours (case-mix), and health service factors. Survival estimates are also subject to random variation, especially when based on relatively small numbers of patients.

  Cancer of the Trachea, Bronchus and Lung (ICD-10 C33-C34)

  Relative Survival1 (%) at 1 and 5 years Following Diagnosis for those Diagnosed Aged 15 to 99 in 1995 to 1999, 2000 to 2002 and 2005 to 20072

  

Country/Region
Diagnosed1995 to 1999
Diagnosed 2000 to 2002
Diagnosed 2005 to 2007


1 Year
5 Year
1 Year
5 Year
1 Year


Scotland
26.5
7.3
27.9
7.7
29.5


NHS Board Areas3
 
 
 
 
 


Ayrshire and Arran
22.8
5.9
24.9
5.9
27.0


Borders
24.3
7.3
35.1
15.3
34.9


Dumfries and Galloway
25.0
8.1
24.7
6.7
28.4


Fife
24.5
5.4
24.2
6.7
27.8


Forth Valley
26.3
5.8
28.0
6.7
26.5


Grampian
30.1
8.6
31.1
9.2
31.6


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
25.3
6.9
27.5
7.2
28.3


Highland and Argyll
30.3
9.7
24.8
7.3
28.3


Lanarkshire
24.8
7.2
25.8
8.2
29.3


Lothian
28.3
8.1
30.9
8.4
33.5


Tayside
29.9
7.4
29.5
6.6
30.3


England
24.8
7.2
27.2
7.7
29.3


Wales
21.9
6.6
24.9
7.0
27.3


Great Britain
24.8
7.2
27.2
7.7
29.2


Northern Ireland
26.6
8.7
27.0
8.5
29.3


United Kingdom
24.9
7.2
27.2
7.7
29.2



  Source: UK Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Intelligence Network.

  Notes:

  1 The relative survival estimates shown above are adjusted for background mortality in each of the UK countries but not for differences in overall life expectancy in the NHS boards in Scotland (because life tables for NHS boards are not readily available). The survival estimates are not standardised for age or sex.

  2 Due to insufficient follow-up time, five-year survival is not available for patients diagnosed during 2005 to 2007.

  3 Separate data are not shown for the island NHS boards of Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles due to small populations.

  Ref: IR2011-00245.

Cancer

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the survival rate was for breast cancer in the periods (a) 1995 to 1999, (b) 2000 to 2002 and (c) 2005 to 2007, broken down by NHS board, and how this compared with the rates in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Comparative survival for breast cancer (in females only) within the United Kingdom is shown in the following table. It is important to note that survival depends on many factors, including data quality, characteristics of the patients and their tumours (case-mix), and health service factors. Survival estimates are also subject to random variation, especially when based on relatively small numbers of patients.

  Cancer of the Female Breast (ICD-10 C50 (females)

  Relative Survival1 (%) at 1 and 5 Years Following Diagnosis for those Diagnosed Aged 15 to 99 in 1995 to 1999, 2000 to 2002 and 2005 to 20072

  

Country/Region
Diagnosed1995 to 1999
Diagnosed 2000 to 2002
Diagnosed 2005 to 2007


1 Year
5 Year
1 Year
5 Year
1 Year


Scotland
93.3
78.3
94.7
81.5
95.2


NHS Board Areas3
 
 
 
 
 


Ayrshire and Arran
93.0
78.7
94.2
80.6
97.2


Borders
94.7
83.1
91.7
80.3
93.0


Dumfries and Galloway
94.1
81.0
97.2
85.4
94.6


Fife
91.6
77.9
94.6
83.5
96.1


Forth Valley
94.1
78.8
92.8
77.0
94.3


Grampian
95.2
83.2
95.8
83.6
95.6


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
93.3
77.4
94.8
80.3
93.7


Highland and Argyll
92.5
78.2
94.1
82.0
95.6


Lanarkshire
92.8
74.7
94.7
81.3
94.0


Lothian
93.6
78.9
94.7
83.1
96.1


Tayside
93.1
77.6
95.9
82.3
96.6


England
93.3
79.3
94.6
82.8
95.9


Wales
90.8
77.3
92.2
80.6
95.0


Great Britain
93.2
79.1
94.5
82.6
95.8


Northern Ireland
94.1
80.2
96.0
82.4
96.4


United Kingdom
93.2
79.1
94.5
82.6
95.8



  Source: UK Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Intelligence Network.

  Notes:

  1 The relative survival estimates shown above are adjusted for background mortality in each of the UK countries but not for differences in overall life expectancy in the NHS boards in Scotland (because life tables for NHS boards are not readily available). The survival estimates are not standardised for age.

  2 Due to insufficient follow-up time, five-year survival is not available for patients diagnosed during 2005 to 2007.

  3 Separate data are not shown for the island NHS boards of Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles due to small populations.

  Ref: IR2011-00244.

Cancer

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the survival rate was for colon cancer in the periods (a) 1995 to 1999, (b) 2000 to 2002 and (c) 2005 to 2007, broken down by NHS board, and how this compared with the rates in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Comparative survival for colon cancer within the United Kingdom is shown in the following table. It is important to note that survival depends on many factors, including data quality, characteristics of the patients and their tumours (case-mix), and health service factors. Survival estimates are also subject to random variation, especially when based on relatively small numbers of patients.

  Cancer of the Colon (ICD-10 C18)

  Relative Survival1 (%) at 1 and 5 years Following Diagnosis for those Diagnosed Aged 15 to 99 in 1995 to 1999, 2000 to 2002 and 2005 to 20072

  

Country/Region
Diagnosed1995 to 1999
Diagnosed 2000 to 2002
Diagnosed 2005 to 2007


1 Year
5 Year
1 Year
5 Year
1 Year


Scotland
69.8
51.4
71.7
54.8
73.3


NHS Board Areas3
 
 
 
 
 


Ayrshire and Arran
74.2
49.4
71.3
54.5
70.1


Borders
64.5
47.0
71.3
50.6
66.1


Dumfries and Galloway
64.4
47.8
74.1
56.6
73.6


Fife
70.4
52.3
76.8
63.1
72.0


Forth Valley
71.6
53.7
68.6
48.9
71.4


Grampian
76.2
58.5
79.2
63.6
75.5


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
67.0
48.9
68.8
50.3
73.4


Highland and Argyll
74.9
59.9
75.8
57.7
76.1


Lanarkshire
66.6
44.9
65.8
44.8
70.9


Lothian
70.5
54.4
72.6
58.2
76.3


Tayside
67.6
48.7
67.6
53.3
73.0


England
67.2
48.6
68.8
51.1
71.4


Wales
64.1
46.1
67.6
50.1
69.0


Great Britain
67.3
48.8
69.1
51.4
71.5


Northern Ireland
70.7
52.9
73.9
55.2
72.1


United Kingdom
67.4
48.9
69.2
51.6
71.5



  Source: UK Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Intelligence Network.

  Notes:

  1 The relative survival estimates shown above are adjusted for background mortality in each of the UK countries but not for differences in overall life expectancy in the NHS boards in Scotland (because life tables for NHS boards are not readily available). The survival estimates are not standardised for age or sex.

  2 Due to insufficient follow-up time, five-year survival is not available for patients diagnosed during 2005 to 2007.

  3 Separate data are not shown for the island NHS boards of Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles due to small populations.

  Ref: IR2011-00240.

Cancer

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the survival rate was for rectal cancer in the periods (a) 1995 to 1999, (b) 2000 to 2002 and (c) 2005 to 2007, broken down by NHS board, and how this compared with the rates in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Comparative survival for rectal cancer within the United Kingdom is shown in the following table. It is important to note that survival depends on many factors, including data quality, characteristics of the patients and their tumours (case-mix), and health service factors. Survival estimates are also subject to random variation, especially when based on relatively small numbers of patients.

  Cancer of the Rectum and Rectosigmoid Junction (ICD-10 C19-C20)

  Relative Survival1 (%) at 1 and 5 Years Following Diagnosis for those Diagnosed Aged 15 to 99 in 1995 to 1999, 2000 to 2002 and 2005 to 20072

  

Country/Region
Diagnosed 1995 to 1999
Diagnosed 2000 to 2002
Diagnosed 2005 to 2007


1 Year
5 Year
1 Year
5 Year
1 Year


Scotland
75.0
51.7
79.1
55.2
78.4


NHS Board Areas3
 
 
 
 
 


Ayrshire and Arran
80.3
57.5
81.8
57.5
73.8


Borders
74.5
47.1
78.9
47.4
83.1


Dumfries and Galloway
75.1
53.5
83.6
56.2
76.6


Fife
73.0
51.9
76.6
54.0
82.3


Forth Valley
79.7
47.9
74.1
56.8
79.5


Grampian
78.8
55.4
86.8
62.9
79.7


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
71.3
49.0
77.9
52.9
74.1


Highland and Argyll
76.2
55.8
83.2
64.5
78.1


Lanarkshire
73.7
46.2
72.5
46.1
79.6


Lothian
76.9
56.7
76.1
53.1
80.3


Tayside
71.9
47.2
81.5
57.9
82.6


England
74.3
50.6
76.7
54.3
78.4


Wales
72.2
47.9
76.1
51.7
78.7


Great Britain
74.3
50.6
76.9
54.2
78.4


Northern Ireland
77.0
48.7
79.2
53.4
82.2


United Kingdom
74.3
50.5
76.9
54.2
78.5



  Source: UK Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Intelligence Network.

  Notes:

  1 The relative survival estimates shown above are adjusted for background mortality in each of the UK countries but not for differences in overall life expectancy in the NHS boards in Scotland (because life tables for NHS boards are not readily available). The survival estimates are not standardised for age or sex.

  2 Due to insufficient follow-up time, five-year survival is not available for patients diagnosed during 2005 to 2007.

  3 Separate data are not shown for the island NHS boards of Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles due to small populations.

  Ref: IR2011-00239.

Cancer

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the survival rate was for ovarian cancer in the periods (a) 1995 to 1999, (b) 2000 to 2002 and (c) 2005 to 2007, broken down by NHS board, and how this compared with the rates in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Comparative survival for ovarian cancer within the United Kingdom is shown in the following table. It is important to note that survival depends on many factors, including data quality, characteristics of the patients and their tumours (case-mix), and health service factors. Survival estimates are also subject to random variation, especially when based on relatively small numbers of patients.

  Cancer of the ovary (ICD-10 C56, C57.0-C57.4)

  Relative Survival1 (%) at 1 and 5 Years Following Diagnosis for those Diagnosed Aged 15 to 99 in 1995 to 1999, 2000 to 2002 and 2005 to 20072

  

Country/Region
Diagnosed 1995 to 1999
Diagnosed 2000 to 2002
Diagnosed 2005 to 2007


1 Year
5 Year
1 Year
5 Year
1 Year


Scotland
66.2
41.3
66.1
39.1
72.0


NHS Board Areas3
 
 
 
 
 


Ayrshire and Arran
65.0
43.2
55.0
31.4
71.7


Borders
60.9
35.6
49.5
41.5
78.5


Dumfries and Galloway
71.1
36.0
71.9
31.3
68.2


Fife
66.7
41.8
82.0
49.7
67.8


Forth Valley
59.0
34.6
74.9
41.1
77.3


Grampian
73.5
46.8
65.4
43.2
74.9


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
68.3
43.0
64.1
36.9
64.5


Highland and Argyll
62.5
35.6
62.4
34.0
82.7


Lanarkshire
63.8
39.2
64.0
35.0
74.5


Lothian
63.4
42.2
68.4
36.7
71.3


Tayside
66.7
42.8
67.7
46.4
75.1


England
65.4
38.8
67.0
40.2
70.6


Wales
60.6
35.4
63.9
38.9
66.1


Great Britain
65.2
38.8
66.7
40.0
70.5


Northern Ireland
67.5
43.9
68.9
45.2
68.0


United Kingdom
65.2
39.0
66.8
40.2
70.4



  Source: UK Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Intelligence Network.

  Notes:

  1 The relative survival estimates shown above are adjusted for background mortality in each of the UK countries but not for differences in overall life expectancy in the NHS boards in Scotland (because life tables for NHS boards are not readily available). The survival estimates are not standardised for age.

  2 Due to insufficient follow-up time, five-year survival is not available for patients diagnosed during 2005 to 2007.

  3 Separate data are not shown for the island NHS boards of Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles due to small populations.

  Ref: IR2011-00238.

Cancer

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the survival rate was for bowel cancer in the periods (a) 1995 to 1999, (b) 2000 to 2002 and (c) 2005 to 2007, broken down by NHS board, and how this compared with the rates in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Comparative survival for bowel cancer within the United Kingdom is shown in the following table. It is important to note that survival depends on many factors, including data quality, characteristics of the patients and their tumours (case-mix), and health service factors. Survival estimates are also subject to random variation, especially when based on relatively small numbers of patients.

  Colorectal Cancer (ICD-10 C18-C20)

  Relative Survival1 (%) at 1 and 5 Years Following Diagnosis for those Diagnosed Aged 15 to 99 in 1995 to 1999, 2000 to 2002 and 2005 to 20072

  

Country/Region
Diagnosed 1995 to 1999
Diagnosed 2000 to 2002
Diagnosed 2005 to 2007


1 Year
5 Year
1 Year
1 Year
5 Year


Scotland
71.6
51.5
74.3
55.0
75.1


NHS Board Areas3
 
 
 
 
 


Ayrshire and Arran
76.4
52.4
74.8
55.6
71.3


Borders
68.0
47.0
74.1
49.3
73.2


Dumfries and Galloway
68.7
50.2
77.7
56.5
74.8


Fife
71.4
52.2
76.7
59.9
75.9


Forth Valley
74.6
51.6
70.4
51.6
74.1


Grampian
77.1
57.4
81.8
63.4
76.9


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
68.4
48.9
71.9
51.2
73.6


Highland and Argyll
75.3
58.7
78.2
59.9
76.8


Lanarkshire
69.2
45.4
68.3
45.3
73.9


Lothian
72.7
55.2
73.8
56.4
77.7


Tayside
69.1
48.2
72.2
54.9
76.6


England
69.9
49.4
71.8
52.3
74.1


Wales
67.1
46.8
70.8
50.7
72.6


Great Britain
69.9
49.4
72.0
52.5
74.1


Northern Ireland
72.7
51.5
75.8
54.6
75.5


United Kingdom
70.0
49.5
72.1
52.6
74.1



  Source: UK Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Intelligence Network.

  Notes:

  1 The relative survival estimates shown above are adjusted for background mortality in each of the UK countries but not for differences in overall life expectancy in the NHS boards in Scotland (because life tables for NHS boards are not readily available). The survival estimates are not standardised for age or sex.

  2 Due to insufficient follow-up time, five-year survival is not available for patients diagnosed during 2005 to 2007.

  3 Separate data are not shown for the island NHS boards of Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles due to small populations.

  Ref: IR2011-00237.

Cancer

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are in place to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of (a) lung, (b) breast, (c) colon, (d) rectal, (e) ovarian and (f) bowel cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: Through the Scottish Cancer Taskforce, the Scottish Government is working to improve awareness of possible signs and symptoms of all cancers amongst the public and amongst medical staff.

  To support GPs to identify and recognise possible cancer symptoms and refer patients with suspected cancer as early as possible, referral guidance was published in 2007, called the Scottish Executive Health Department Letter (2007) 9: Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, which is available on the Scottish Government website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/quickreferenceguide/suspectedcancer.

  A wide range of awareness initiatives are delivered across Scotland, for many different types of cancer, by voluntary, healthcare and social work providers. The Scottish Government recognises the valuable contribution made by these organisations in providing information and advice about cancer signs and symptoms.

Cancer

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the three pilot programmes in three NHS board areas focussing on patient experiences of cancer services has reported and, if so, whether the results have been published.

Nicola Sturgeon: The three experience-based design cancer pilots have not yet formally reported. Each pilot will report at the end of three years, with NHS Glasgow and Greater Clyde and NHS Lothian completing in March 2012 and NHS Grampian in September 2012. Ongoing progress reports are provided by each pilot project at board level and brief six monthly progress reports are provided to the Better Together Programme.

  An interim evaluation report will be published by the Better Together Programme in March 2011, sharing the key transferable learning messages to date across the three pilots. A summary of this report will also be provided to the Living with Cancer Programme meeting on 17 March 2011, which in turn will be reported to the Scottish Cancer Taskforce meeting in May 2011

Car Parks

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to NHS boards regarding reducing excessive charges for (a) car parking and (b) other services.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Circular CEL 38 (2008) confirmed that charges for car parking at NHSScotland operated car parks were abolished with effect from 31 December 2008.

Co-operatives

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary to question S3O-11582 by John Swinney on 7 October 2010 ( Official Report , c. 29467), what progress has been made regarding its participation in the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2012.

Jim Mather: As stated in my previous answer, the Scottish Government would look to Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS) to structure any participation in the UN International Year of Co-operatives 2012. I am advised that CDS aim to start the planning process in spring 2011, in conjunction with Co-operatives UK, and that Sarah Deas, Chief Executive of CDS, would welcome any input that the member or others may wish to make to that process.

Employment

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provides for employment programmes in the city of Edinburgh.

Alex Neil: Edinburgh is being supported by the Scottish Government in a number of ways to help deliver employability initiatives.

  On 14 December 2010, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Michael Russell MSP, announced £64.6 million European Structural Fund (ESF) grant towards 21 strategic projects worth £168 million. A joint bid from Edinburgh and Midlothian councils received £3.96 million directly from this allocation. They will also benefit from targeted local funding from a number of the other strategic bidders including the Scottish Funding Council, STUC, Skills Development Scotland and a Third Sector Consortium bid.

  The bids are being supported over two years from 2011 onwards and will deliver employability and training services for the unemployed, the lowest paid and the socially deprived, ranging from early engagement through to in-work support and skills development. The organisations will all be involved in the delivery of the strategic skills programme which fits with the Scottish Government’s Skills Strategy and Economic Recovery Programme.

  Edinburgh and Midlothian councils are also working jointly to deliver a higher support needs consortium, which focuses on providing personalised support to people with disabilities and long-term health issues to ensure they are able to acquire and sustain employment. The project has received ESF support twice since 2008, with ESF awards totalling £1.78 million (total project costs of £3.97 million). The current project will be supported by ESF until September 2012.

  In addition, £724,310 has been allocated in 2008-11 through the Scottish Government’s Wider Role Fund to support the employability programmes of registered social landlords in the City of Edinburgh.

Firearms

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its position on the entitlement of chief constables to deploy Taser weapons to frontline officers extends to the other weapons with the same legal classification under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36630 by Kenny MacAskill on 21 October 2010, whether it considers that police officers are not bound by the prohibition in section 24 of the Firearms Act 1968 on the supply of firearms to minors.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36630 by Kenny MacAskill on 21 October 2010, whether it considers that police officers are not bound by the prohibition in section 4 of the Firearms Act 1968 on conversion of weapons.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36630 by Kenny MacAskill on 21 October 2010, whether it considers that police officers are not bound by the prohibition in section 25 of the Firearms Act 1968 on the supply of firearms to anyone who is drunk or insane.

Kenny MacAskill: It is not for the Scottish Government to provide detailed legal interpretation of the provisions in the Firearms Act 1968. Firearms policy and legislation is reserved to the UK Parliament.

Forensic Science

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of the refurbishment of the chemistry laboratory at the Rushton Court forensic science laboratory following the transfer of chemistry posts from Dundee to Glasgow.

Kenny MacAskill: There will be no refurbishment of the chemistry laboratory at Rushton Court, and therefore no cost will be incurred.

General Practitioners

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many GP practices in each NHS board area the Quality and Outcomes Framework funding has (a) increased, (b) remained the same and (c) decreased as a result of the GP patient access survey for 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: Table 1 shows the number of practices for which total Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) payments for 2009-10 (a) increased by 1% or more, (b) changed by less than 1% and (c) decreased by 1% or more relative to 2008-09. No practice received exactly the same QOF payment in both years. The table is based on data for 1,003 Scottish general practices that were open in both years and for which detailed comparable payments data are held centrally. For context, in each of these years the total number of GP practices in Scotland was around 1,015.

  Table 2 shows the number of practices for which QOF payments associated specifically with the GP patient experience survey for 2009-10 (indicators PE7 and PE8) (a) increased by 1% or more, (b) changed by less than 1% and (c) decreased by 1% or more relative to 2008-09. In 78% of practices the part of their QOF payment that related directly to the GP patient survey results was higher in 2009-10 than it was for 2008-09.

  Overall changes in payments made to practices for the 2009-10 year relative to 2008-09 were the product of a number of changes made to the QOF indicator set, the rules used to calculate payments for indicators, and the baseline number of pounds available for each QOF point achieved, as well as variations in practice QOF achievements from year to year.

  The results of the GP patient experience survey 2009/10 are published at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Health/GPPatientExperienceSurvey

  The results of the GP patient access survey 2008/09 are published at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/Survey

  Detailed information on QOF achievements for Scottish general practices is published annually at www.isdscotland.org/qof.

  Table 1. Change to Total QOF Payments Between 2008-09 and 2009-10 1,2

  

NHS Board
Number of Practices1
(a) Increased by 1% or More
(b) Changed by Less Than 1%
(c) Decreased by 1% or More


Ayrshire and Arran
59
46
6
7


Borders
25
16
3
6


Dumfries and Galloway
35
23
4
8


Fife
57
38
5
14


Forth Valley
56
26
12
18


Grampian
84
28
9
47


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
267
128
28
111


Highland
102
54
10
38


Lanarkshire
98
48
15
35


Lothian
116
29
22
65


Orkney
13
4
0
9


Shetland
10
4
0
6


Tayside
69
33
15
21


Western Isles
12
11
0
1


Scotland
1,003
488
129
386



  Table 2. Change to QOF Payments Directly Relating to the GP patient survey (Indicators PE7 and PE8) between 2008-09 and 2009-10 1,2

  

NHS Board
Number of Practices1
(a) Increased by 1% or More
(b) Changed by Less Than 1%
(c) Decreased by 1% or More


Ayrshire and Arran
59
47
8
3


Borders
25
19
5
1


Dumfries and Galloway
35
30
5
0


Fife
57
48
7
2


Forth Valley
56
41
8
4


Grampian
84
72
5
5


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
267
207
36
23


Highland
102
67
21
14


Lanarkshire
98
77
9
10


Lothian
116
100
9
7


Orkney
13
7
3
3


Shetland
10
7
2
1


Tayside
69
55
8
5


Western Isles
12
5
5
2


Scotland
1,003
782
131
80



  Notes

  1. Based on data for 1,003 Scottish general practices that were open in both years and for which detailed comparable payments data are held centrally. In each of these years the total number of GP practices in Scotland was around 1,015.

  2. These figures do not reflect any local or national adjustments that may have been made to practice payments after QOF achievement data for each year were published at www.isdscotland.org/qof.

General Practitioners

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31400 by Nicola Sturgeon on 25 February 2010, what the response rate was to the patient access questions in the GP patient access survey for 2009-10, broken down by (a) mean, (b) median and (c) standard deviation.

Nicola Sturgeon: The overall response rate to the 2009-10 GP patient experience survey was 38%. As expected this was lower than the response rate in 2008-09 because the survey was designed to sample more patients from practices that had lower response rates in 2008-09. This improved the accuracy of results for practices with lower response rates. The number of responses that could be used in the calculation of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) patient experience of access indicators PE7 and PE8 was less than the number of questionnaires that were returned. This was mainly because people had not tried to access the practice in the way specified.

  The results for each of the QOF indicators were derived from combinations of three questions. Therefore, the valid responses for an indicator depended on the sequence of questions being answered, and not just a response rate to a particular question – which would be higher. For example, those who missed out a question or ticked more than one option in a question were excluded from the analysis for that indicator. The observed valid response rates (as % of the total number sent out) are shown in the following tables.

  

 2009-10
(a) Mean
(b) Median
(c) Standard Deviation


PE7 (48 Hour Access)
25%
25%
5%


PE8 (Advance Access)
20%
21%
5%



  The results from 2008-09 are shown below for comparison:

  

 2008-09
(a) Mean
(b) Median
(c) Standard Deviation


PE7 (48 Hour Access)
37%
37%
8%


PE8 (Advance Access)
23%
24%
6%

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that all patients identified by the Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission and Admission tool receive continuity of care by a GP or advanced nurse practitioner.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission and Admission (SPARRA) tool is used to support NHS board and Community Health Partnership healthcare teams in providing proactive, planned and co-ordinated care for patients with frequently changing or complex needs.

  The Scottish Government’s Long Term Conditions Collaborative is supporting NHS boards to provide appropriate interventions for people who are at most risk of unscheduled admission or readmission. These may include a period of care management by a member of the extended primary and community care team, and the development and sharing of an anticipatory care plan.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of hospital bed days are accounted for by patients identified by the Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission and Admission tool.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not routinely available.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by socioeconomic group of patients identified by the Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission and Admission tool.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission and Admission (SPARRA) tool is used to estimate the future risk of unscheduled inpatient admission of someone who has experienced at least one such admission in the preceding three years.

  The following table shows the number of people who have experienced at least one unscheduled admission in the three years prior to October 2010, broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation decile (SIMD: 2009). For each SIMD decile, the table also shows the number and percentage of these individuals whose risk of admission was estimated to be high, which is defined as a SPARRA risk score of 50% or more.

  SPARRA Patients by Deprivation Category

  

Current SIMD: 2009
October 2010


SPARRA Cohort
High Risk*


 
 
%


1 (Most Deprived)
96,068
8,339
8.7


2
88,805
6,689
7.5


3
84,924
6,242
7.4


4
79,331
5,541
7.0


5
74,220
4,634
6.2


6
90,408
6,847
7.6


7
67,700
3,359
5.0


8
64,174
2,913
4.5


9
59,231
2,369
4.0


10 (Least Deprived)
51,800
1,982
3.8


Total
756,661
48,915
6.5



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Ref: IR2011-00220.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what tools are approved by the NHS for the assessment of patients identified by the Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission and Admission tool.

Nicola Sturgeon: The tools used to assess the cohort identified by the Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission or Admission (SPARRA) tool would be determined by the number and nature of the conditions of each individual, as well as their social, family and carer context.

  The Scottish Government’s Long Term Conditions Collaborative (LTCC) has also worked with teams from NHS boards and their local authority and third sector partners to agree and develop practical guidance on the approach to integrated care management and anticipatory care planning.

  In partnership with the "Releasing Time to Care" initiative, further work is being undertaken to build capability in community teams to apply these approaches. The Scottish Government’s Long Term Conditions Unit and the LTCC are also working with ehealth colleagues on developing the Key Information Summary to support electronic sharing of anticipatory care plans across teams and settings.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by NHS board of patients identified by the Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission and Admission tool in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission and Admission (SPARRA) tool is used to estimate the future risk of unscheduled inpatient admission of someone who has experienced at least one such admission in the preceding three years.

  The following table shows the number of people meeting this criterion in each NHS board at the start of both financial years. The table also shows the number and percentage of these individuals whose risk of admission was estimated to be high, which is defined as a SPARRA risk score of 50% or more.

  SPARRA Patients by NHS Board

  

 
April 2009
April 2010


 NHS Board
SPARRA Cohort
High Risk*
SPARRA Cohort
High Risk*


 
 
 
%
 
 
%


Ayrshire and Arran
62,088
4,683
7.5
63,639
4,308
6.8


Borders
18,116
1,257
6.9
18,345
1,268
6.9


Dumfries and Galloway
20,300
1,373
6.8
21,064
1,606
7.6


Fife
49,843
2,813
5.6
50,792
3,215
6.3


Forth Valley
40,406
2,390
5.9
40,749
2,650
6.5


Grampian
71,119
3,639
5.1
72,739
3,973
5.5


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
183,723
13,697
7.5
186,872
13,525
7.2


Highland
44,537
2,708
6.1
45,465
2,741
6.0


Lanarkshire
85,086
5,165
6.1
87,238
5,674
6.5


Lothian
104,030
6,490
6.2
104,233
6,538
6.3


Orkney Islands
2,525
193
7.6
2,545
166
6.5


Shetland Islands
2,916
98
3.4
2,823
90
3.2


Tayside
57,981
2,475
4.3
60,635
3,270
5.4


Western Isles
3,887
257
6.6
3,908
219
5.6


Total 
746,557
47,238
6.3
761,047
49,243
6.5



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Ref: IR2011-00218.

Health

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have received care or treatment at (a) Monklands and (b) Ayr accident and emergency unit in each year since May 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of attendances (new and unplanned returns) from July 2007 to September 2010 for a) Monklands and b) Ayr accident and emergency department are provided in the following table. A patient may have more than one attendance during the period. The number of monthly attendances at each accident and emergency department across Scotland are published quarterly at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4024.html .

  Total Number of Attendances at Monklands and Ayr Accident and Emergency Departments for Financial Years 2007-08 to 2010-11

  

 
Financial Year


Accident and Emergency Department
2007-08*
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11P


Monklands Hospital
49,187
66,522
68,424
35,298


Ayr Hospital
30,390
42,133
43,115
22,868



  Notes:

  * Data is from July 2007.

  P Dates are complete to September 2010.

Health

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have received care or treatment at (a) Aberdeen and (b) Edinburgh children’s cancer unit in each year since May 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is not possible to specifically identify children’s cancer units from centrally held information.

  The following table shows the number of patients aged under 16 who had a neoplasm diagnosis and were treated as either an inpatient or day case at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital or the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh.

  Information on patients seen in an outpatient setting with a cancer diagnosis is not centrally available.

  Number of Patients Aged Under 16 who had a Neoplasm Diagnosis and were Treated as either an Inpatient or Day Case; Financial Years 2006-07 to 2009-10

  

Hospital
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital
161
136
128
133


Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh
378
337
296
325



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

Health

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have received care or treatment at the (a) Vale of Leven and (b) Inverclyde maternity unit in each year since May 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of patients who have received care or treatment at the (a) Vale of Leven and (b) Inverclyde maternity unit in each year since May 2007 is answered in the following table:

  Table 1: Number of patients Recorded as Having Received Care or Treatment at the Vale of Leven and Inverclyde Maternity Unit; Financial years 2007-08 to 2009-10

  

Hospital
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


Vale of Leven
383
374
423


Inverclyde
617
649
678



  Source: ISD Scotland SMR02.

Health

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have received care or treatment at (a) Edinburgh, (b) Aberdeen, (c) Dundee and (d) Glasgow neurosurgery unit in each year since May 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is not possible to specifically identify neurosurgery units from centrally held information.

  Table 1 shows the number of patients treated as either an inpatient or day case in the specialty of neurosurgery at Grampian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lothian and Tayside NHS boards.

  Table 1: Number of Patients Treated as either an Inpatient or Day Case in the Specialty of Neurosurgery at Grampian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lothian and Tayside NHS Boards; Financial Years 2006-07 to 2009-10

  

NHS Board of Treatment
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


Grampian
1,138
1,164
1,189
1,155


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
2,473
2,607
2,679
2,587


Lothian
1,780
1,874
2,006
2,038


Tayside
854
856
887
1,002



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

  Whilst it is not possible to specifically identify the number of patients seen in neurosurgery outpatient clinics, Table 2 shows the number of new and return outpatient attendances in the specialty of neurosurgery at Grampian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lothian and Tayside NHS boards.

  Table 2: Number of New and Return Outpatient Attendances in the Specialty of Neurosurgery at Grampian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lothian and Tayside NHS Boards; Financial Years 2006-07 to 2009-10

  

NHS Board of Treatment
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10



New
Return
New
Return
New
Return
New
Return


Grampian
1,279
1,240
1,250
1,032
1,542
1,001
1,355
946


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
1,893
2,990
2,531
3,384
2,593
3,710
2,414
3,758


Lothian
1,522
2,319
1,777
1,946
1,828
2,498
2,429
3,071


Tayside
1,334
2,122
1,299
2,292
1,458
2,073
1,413
2,278



  Source: ISD Scotland, ISD(S)1.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what collaboration work in health technology assessment is being undertaken by the Scottish Medicines Consortium and what costs will accrue from such collaborations.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) assesses newly licensed medicines or treatments for clinical and cost-effectiveness and issues advice to NHSScotland.

  SMC decisions are made by a panel of experts from different fields including clinicians (medical and pharmacy), public partners, health economists, NHS board Chief Executives and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.

  The SMC does not undertake formal collaboration with any other health technology bodies, either in undertaking assessments or in sharing or developing methodology.

  The SMC operates independently from the Scottish Government. Further information about the membership and role of the SMC can be found on their website at www.scottishmedicines.org.uk.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidelines to accident and emergency departments on the sharing of full and non-anonymised data on knife crime with police.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government wrote to NHS boards in March 2008 providing guidance on information sharing between NHS Scotland and the police at:

  www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/details.asp?PublicationID=2529. 

  The guidance sets out how NHS boards and police forces should work together to develop a consistent approach to the sharing of information to promote the prevention and detection of crime, while respecting and safeguarding the interests of patients and the public in the confidentiality of personal health information. The guidance, which remains extant, applies to all NHS settings and to all types of crime.

  Additionally, a number of injury surveillance projects are in operation across Scotland. These involve accident and emergency departments sharing anonymised data with the police on injuries caused by assault. The data is used to improve analysis and understanding of patterns of crime to inform decisions on the deployment of local resources aiming to reduce violence. The Scottish Government will consider the evidence emerging from these projects before deciding whether to provide more specific guidance to NHSScotland.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken since 2007 to support access to alternative therapies and with what outcomes.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government recognises that complementary and alternative medicines may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions and leaves it open to NHS boards to provide these therapies based on their assessment of needs in their areas and in line with national guidance about treatment for the condition(s).

  The treatment of individual patients is a matter of professional judgement and therefore the Scottish Government’s continued position is that the local NHS and clinicians are best placed to make decisions on what treatment is appropriate for their patients, including alternative therapies.

  The extant guidance on NHS availability of complementary and alternative medicine therapies is the guidance issued to NHS boards in August 2005. The letter, NHS Circular HDL (2005) 37, is available at  http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/HDL2005_37.pdf.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps in has taken to support the model of rural general hospitals since 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: Following the publication of the report Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare in May 2008, the Scottish Government established the Remote and Rural Implementation Group (RRIG) to take forward the commitments and forward issues identified; including those around the way that rural general hospitals should deliver their care. RRIG has now completed its two year work programme and published its final report in October 2010. A copy of the report has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52396.). Pages 10 and 11 of that report sets out the model of rural general hospitals which is being followed by NHS Highland, NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles; and a revised model which features as one of the key recommendations for going forward.

  We have accepted all the RRIG recommendations and will be writing to NHS boards shortly to confirm that our expectation is that boards will implement all the RRIG recommendations and collaborate on them through established governance mechanisms. Performance will be monitored regularly and progress will be discussed with Boards at the annual reviews.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on establishing a national managed clinical network for the treatment of severe and complex obesity.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are currently no plans to establish a national managed clinical network for the treatment of severe and complex obesity.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34045 by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 June 2010, how many procedures for bariatric surgery were carried out in 2009-10, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows information on the number of bariatric surgery procedures undertaken, where a main diagnosis of obesity has been recorded, by NHS board of residence in the financial year 2009-10.

  

NHS Board of Residence
2009-10


Ayrshire and Arran
33


Borders
1


Dumfries and Galloway
 -


Fife
4


Forth Valley
1


Grampian
15


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
34


Highland
12


Lanarkshire
23


Lothian
35


Orkney Islands
1


Shetland Islands
1


Tayside
 - 


Western Isles
 -


Scotland
160



  Source: ISD Scotland (SMR01).

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34019 by Nicola Sturgeon on 10 June 2010, how many acute occupied bed days in NHS Forth Valley were directly connected to a diagnosis of assault by sharp object in 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: For patients discharged in the year ending 31 March 2010, there were 51 acute occupied bed days in NHS Forth Valley connected to the diagnosis of assault by a sharp object.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many wards have been closed due to (a) norovirus outbreak, (b) hospital-acquired infections and (c) other reasons in each winter since 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland monitors and publishes ward closures due to norovirus outbreaks via point prevalence Management Information. Norovirus point prevalence reporting commenced on 7 January 2008.

  This weekly point prevalence data relates to the number of wards closed at any time on a Monday. This provides an indicator (in as close to real-time as is possible) of the impact norovirus is having on NHSScotland but is not incidence data and can therefore miss some outbreaks, i.e. if an outbreak started on a Tuesday and was over by the Sunday it would not be recorded on the prevalence data.

  Ward closures occurring on a Monday that are still ongoing the following Monday will be counted twice even though they relate to a single outbreak.

  It is not possible to aggregate the provided data into an annual total of ward closures. Weekly point prevalence data for 2008 to 2011 is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52416).

  Future weekly data for 2011 will be available at:

  http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/haiic/ic/noroviruspointprev.aspx

  There are no mandatory national surveillance systems for hospital-acquired infections outbreaks occurring in hospitals in NHSScotland. Therefore, it is not possible at a national level to identify ward closures due to hospital-acquired infections or other reasons over the time period requested. NHS board level data would need to be requested from boards.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38385 by Alex Neil on 17 January 2011, whether it has considered giving the relevant local authority the right to instigate the sale of the houses.

Alex Neil: This option was considered at an early stage of National Housing Trust development. However, it was decided to allow private developers to determine when to sell the homes, after the minimum required rental period of five years has elapsed. This is because the private sector’s entire equity stake and any return beyond this is at risk in the initiative, unlike the local authority funding which is underpinned fully by a Scottish Government guarantee. Providing the developer with some control over the timing of sales therefore enables them to take decisions to minimise their financial exposure. This consequently also protects the public sector.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38384 by Alex Neil on 17 January 2011, how much funding it will guarantee under the first tranche of National Housing Trust houses.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government will guarantee the total amount of loan finance each local authority is willing to provide towards the purchase of homes under the first tranche of the initiative. This guarantee will ensure that the local authority can continue to pay the interest on its loan finance should there be a shortfall in rental income. It also guarantees that the local authority can repay the capital at the end of the initiative should there be a shortfall on capital receipts when properties are sold.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38385 by Alex Neil on 17 January 2011, whether the receipts from the sale of the houses will go to the relevant local authority, the developer or the Scottish Futures Trust.

Alex Neil: The receipts from the sale of the homes will be distributed between partners according to the order set out in the legal agreements for the National Housing Trust initiative. After paying any reasonable costs incurred by the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) in relation to the sale, receipts will firstly be directed towards clearing the local authority debt. Any calls on the Scottish Government Guarantee will then be reimbursed, although the scheme is designed to minimise the risk of any such calls. Once these items are settled receipts will be used to clear any accrued interest on the private sector’s loan note. SFT’s contribution to the SPV’s set-up costs will then be repaid before the private sector recoups its loan note, equity stake and any pre-agreed return beyond this. The remainder will then be paid to a body nominated by the local authority to contribute towards affordable housing provision in the local authority area.

Housing (Scotland) Act 2010

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the commencement order for the provision in section 157 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010, Vacant dwellings: use of information obtained for council tax purposes, will be made.

Alex Neil: Section 157 will be commenced as soon as is practicable in the next parliamentary session following consultation with COSLA and local authorities.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of those convicted for an offence with a domestic aggravator received a custodial sentence of three months or less in 2009-10.

Kenny MacAskill: Of the 8,837 persons with a charge proved for an offence with a domestic aggravator, 457 received a custodial sentence of three months or less in 2009-10 (5%). As the recording of aggravators has improved over time, caution is needed if comparing changes over time.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38036 by Kenny MacAskill on 2 December 2010, how many offenders received a custodial sentence of three months or less in 2009-10, broken down by (a) main offence and (b) police force area.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is given in Table 10(a) of the additional datasets to the statistical bulletin Court Proceedings in Scotland 2009-10, which is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/Datasets/PFA0910.

  The dates of all Scottish Government Official and National Statistics publications are pre-announced, and the up to date list of future publications can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Search/Forthcoming.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it holds a list of people suspected of having their mobile phone calls illegally intercepted and, if so, what steps it has taken to notify them.

Kenny MacAskill: Allegations of illegal interception should be reported to the police. The Scottish Government holds no information on people suspected of having their mobile phone calls illegally intercepted.

Medical Records

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34523 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 June 2010, what steps it is taking to ensure that access to electronic patient records is not interrupted for any reason.

Nicola Sturgeon: Systems and associated networks are designed to be resilient. In the event that there is systems failure NHS boards have business continuity plans and local service continuity plans in place which will be invoked if necessary. This applies to all IT systems including those which deal with electronic patient records. The NHS Scotland Security Policy states that boards will undertake a survey of their information systems and data and make an assessment of the likely security risks, including an evaluation of the likely impact and occurrence of any threats that may disrupt services. Boards then introduce measures to mitigate these risks. These include, but are not limited to, processes such as virus checking, regular patching of operating systems software and the provision of back-up systems.

Medical Records

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive 2010, how many of the NHS boards signed up to the TrakCare patient management system have the records aggregated at one site.

Nicola Sturgeon: One of the NHS boards signed up to the TrakCare patient management system have the records aggregated at one site. The model being adopted by NHS boards implementing the TrakCare system is one that replaces any disparate electronic patient administrative records with a single integrated design within each board. In parallel, boards have improvement work underway in connection with their paper records. In part this work aims to aggregate paper records in single or fewer sites, whichever is practicable given geography. Longer term work, given the scale of the task, involves digitising (scanning) paper records based on unique Community Health Index number so as to make them available with the patient at whichever point of care.

NHS Finance

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the gross expenditure by NHS Tayside has been in each year since 2001-02, also expressed at current prices.

Nicola Sturgeon: Net operating costs since 2001-02, including current price estimate:

  

Year
Net Operating Costs (£ million)
Current Prices (£ million)


2001-02
472.4
600.8


2002-03
485.6
598.3


2003-04
520.5
623.7


2004-05
568.5
662.9


2005-06
604.2
691.9


2006-07
635.2
703.8


2007-08
678.4
730.7


2008-09
704.0
737.9


2009-10
729.2
751.8



  During the period disclosed above, there have been several structural and accounting policy changes to NHS boards, which will impact the ‘like-for-like’ comparison between years.

NHS Finance

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budgeted expenditure for NHS Tayside is for 2010-11, also expressed at 2009-10 prices.

Nicola Sturgeon: The budgeted net operating costs for NHS Tayside in 2010-11 are £733.5 million.

  On the basis of current HM Treasury deflator figures, the net operating costs at 2009-10 prices are £711.5 million.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken since 2007 to review public transport links to hospitals and with what outcomes.

Nicola Sturgeon: This is a matter for NHS boards to review as part of their travel planning process.

  NHS boards are required to follow Health Facilities Scotland guidance document SHTM 07-03: Transport management and car parking which advises NHS boards that an effective travel plan will address the following:

  employee transport to and from work;

  employee transport during work time;

  patient and visitor travel and access to sites;

  public transport availability;

  use and type of fleet vehicles;

  deliveries and contractors;

  peripatetic/community visits;

  travel and subsistence rates and rewarding small-engine cars or cycle mileage;

  the needs of disabled people with a physical, mental and/or visual impairment, and

  the needs of patients, employees, visitors and may even address the needs of visitors accompanied by young children.

NHS Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps in has taken to introduce a presumption against centralisation of core hospital services.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is committed to a service that works in serving the best interests of NHS patients. The first step of this government was to reverse the decision to close accident and emergency departments in Ayr and Monklands Hospitals. Since then, the Scottish Government has invested in protecting children’s cancer units in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, neurosurgery centres and services in the Vale of Leven and Inverclyde. All of these decisions have been taken in line with our presumption against centralisation.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to (a) increase the number of NHS physiotherapists and (b) examine the potential to expand other allied health professions since 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: Between 2007 and 2010, the number of physiotherapists in NHSScotland has increased by 4.3% and the number of allied health professions (AHPs) has increased by 7.2% over the same period.

  The Scottish Government has supported a range of recruitment and retention measures. The Workload Measurement and Workforce Planning Programme which examined the existing AHP workforce to ensure it was being used to its full potential and set in place methods, tools and intelligence to develop workforce methodology and practice. These have been rolled out to NHS boards. A number of other recruitment and retention measures for AHPs have also been taken forward focussing on developing appropriate skill mix, succession planning, leadership development and continuous professional development.

  Implementation of the Framework for Adult Rehabilitation, which is being taken forward by all NHS boards in Scotland, highlights the important role AHPs play in the rehabilitation of older people, people with long term conditions and those needing support to return to work after illness or injury. This framework, together with the increase in the number of AHPs, has delivered significant improvements for service users and their families or carers. The framework may also lead to the need for additional AHPs and their support staff in the future.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school nurses there are; how this compares with the number in May 2007, and whether it expects the number to have doubled during the current parliamentary session.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information for May 2007 is not available. Information is collected as at 30 September each year. National statistics show that the number of school nurses has increased substantially since 30 September 2007, from 385 then to 456 as at 30 September 2010. This is an increase of 71 headcount (18.4%). The whole time equivalent increase is 52.7 wte (19.5%). However, the role of the school nurse should not be seen in isolation as school children are treated by a multi-disciplinary team within the school setting for example public health nurses and these are reported separately.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps in has taken to incentivise NHS staff to (a) train and (b) commit to working in rural areas since 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36596 on 11 October 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-12785 by Nicola Sturgeon on 27 January 2010 ( Official Report , c. 32710), how many full-time equivalent school nurses there were in post in each community health partnership area in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information is not centrally available. However, published information showing whole time equivalent of school nurses by NHS board at 30 September 2007 to 2010 is available at :

  www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=Nursing_and_midwifery%202010.xls&pContentDispositionType= attachment.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a policy to deal with harassment and bullying in NHS National Services Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS National Services Scotland respond to all harassment and bullying allegations under their harassment and bullying policy, last published in August 2010. The policy states that all allegations of harassment and bullying should be investigated.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many allegations of harassment and bullying in NHS National Services Scotland have been made in each year since 2007-08 and how many of the investigations into these cases have not been completed.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) centrally record the total number of grievances that have been lodged by employees. NSS do not currently break these figures down further into the various categories, such as harassment and bullying. The figures provided below are the total number of grievance cases lodged per financial year since 2007-08.

  2007-08: 12

  2008-09: 38

  2009-10: 17

  2010-11: not reported as yet for the current financial year

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to invest in more NHS fast-track diagnostic and treatment centres since 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government continues to work with NHSScotland to provide a high quality of care which is quick and safe. For example, in 2009 two new £100 million hospitals were opened at Stobhill and at the Victoria in Glasgow which have redesigned their services around the needs of the patient to enhance the quality of healthcare and speed up diagnosis and treatment.

  We now also have over 650 one-stop clinics operated by NHSScotland which provide a full diagnostic and, where appropriate, treatment service at one visit. Patients referred to a one-stop clinic will typically receive a specialist consultation, undergo the appropriate diagnostic tests, receive results and undergo treatment where appropriate. Where immediate treatment is not feasible the patient should be offered the date for treatment at the clinic.

  As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to reduce waiting times, the Health Delivery Directorate’s Improvement Support Team continues to work with all NHS boards to redesign and transform services across Scotland to improve access through all stages of the patient pathway. This work aims to help all NHS boards to deliver the 18 weeks referral to treatment time target that is due to be delivered by end December 2011.

  The latest published figures for 30 September 2010 showed that patients are effectively receiving an outpatient consultation within 12 weeks, key diagnostic tests within four weeks and inpatient and day case treatment within nine weeks. This clearly shows that patients across Scotland are now experiencing shorter waits for outpatient consultations, tests and treatment.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many more local mini-centres co-located with out-of-hours services there are in each NHS board area since May 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table provides details of progress against this action.

  

NHS Board Area
Details of Local Service


NHS Highland
Inverness local centre launched in 2005 and co-located with local out-of-hours services and the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre (EMDC). 


NHS Grampian
Service delivered from within Aberdeen Regional Centre.


NHS Tayside
Dundee local centre launched in 2005 and co-located with local out-of-hours services.


NHS Lanarkshire
East Kilbride local centre launched in 2005 and co-located with local out-of-hours services.


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Kilmarnock local centre launched in 2005 and co-located with local out-of-hours services.


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries local centre launched in 2005 and located within Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.


NHS Fife
Scottish Emergency Dental Service (SEDS) launched in 2007 based in Glenrothes. Glenrothes local centre launched in October 2009, co-located with SEDS.


NHS Lothian
Dedicated NHS 24 nursing resource located in South Queensferry Regional Centre to respond to Lothian based callers, launched in May 2006. The SAS EMDC has been co-located at the centre since 2010. 


NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Glasgow local centre launched in June 2008, co-located with Glasgow Out-of Hours Service and Scottish Ambulance Service EMDC in Cardonald.


NHS Borders
Melrose local centre launched in May 2009 and located within Borders General Hospital. 


NHS Forth Valley
Falkirk local centre launched in December 2008 and co-located with local out-of-hours services.


NHS Orkney
Local centre was successfully launched in June 2010 within Balfour Hospital.


NHS Shetland
Working with NHS Shetland and planning to launch a local service in Spring 2011. 


NHS Western Isles
Working with NHS Western Isles and planning to launch a local service in Summer 2011.



  The aim of developing local service is to build NHS 24 capacity, aid the recruitment of specialist nurses and improve the performance of the NHS 24 service. These centres support the development of close relationships with the host territorial health boards and aim to improve patient satisfaction levels through better local service delivery. They afford the opportunity for flexible working and improved work life balance for the nursing workforce within these localities.

  NHS 24 has also worked closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service in recent years and is now co-located on three sites with their emergency medical dispatch Centres at Inverness, South Queensferry and Cardonald.

  NHS 24 will complete the programme of local development this year with the establishment of services with NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles.

National Health Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the target to reduce non-attendance at a first outpatient appointment has been achieved.

Nicola Sturgeon: The target to reduce first outpatient appointment did not attends (DNA) to 9.2% was due to be delivered by NHSScotland on 31 March 2010. Published figures show that for the quarter ending 31 March 2010 the DNA rate was 10.5%.

  This is disappointing particularly in the current economic climate where it is even more vital that NHS boards reduce waste in their budgets. It is every patient’s responsibility to keep their appointment, but we recognise that the NHS has to be flexible in helping make appointments convenient for patients.

  That is why the Scottish Government has given the NHS in Scotland a three per cent target for efficiency savings and all NHS boards are working on implementing policies to reduce missed appointments. This includes text and phone reminders, more choice over the time of an appointment and a poster campaign reminding patients of their responsibility in using NHS services. The Health Delivery Directorate Improvement and Support Team will continue to work with boards and ensure that good practice is identified and shared across Scotland.

National Health Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in achieving the same-day surgery target.

Nicola Sturgeon: Significant progress has been made against the same day surgery target by all NHS boards over the last year. Performance against the target is 80% overall for NHSScotland at March 2010.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of comments by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) reported in The Sunday Herald on 23 January 2011 that "significant reductions to police staff numbers alone are seen to upset the efficient balance between police staff and police with the risk that officers would be used to backfill some police staff roles".

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the statement reported in The Sunday Herald on 23 January 2011 that "If you sack police staff you cut frontline policing".

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government’s priority remains frontline policing. Putting 1,000 additional police officers in our communities has helped to reduce crime to a 32 year low. Our draft budget puts in place the resources to maintain police officer numbers in 2011-12. Police civilian staff also play an important role in keeping Scotland’s communities safer. The work that ACPOS have reported to the Scottish Policing Board over the last year has highlighted significant opportunities for greater efficiency and we are looking to Chief Constables to maximise those opportunities so that reductions in police staff numbers are kept to a minimum and do not impact on frontline policing.

Prison Service

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on drug testing of prisoners on reception to prison in each of the last five years, broken down by prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service does not separately record the cost of drug testing prisoners on reception to prison.

  Drug testing in prison is carried out extensively to support clinical prescribing, progression through a sentence, risk management and to identify incidence and prevalence of drug use. The following table provides the expenditure on drug testing per establishment over the last three years on all types of testing that is highlighted in the Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland report published annually by the Scottish Government. Significant reductions in costs have been made possible by increased use of in-house testing kits.

  

Establishment
Expenditure 2007-08
Expenditure 2008-09
Expenditure 2009-10


Addiewell1
N/A
£2,324
£4,722


Kilmarnock
£20,880
£18,159
£13,177


Aberdeen
£3,908.42
£7,369.66
£3,040.26


Barlinnie
£11,113.39
£16,042.85
£12,761.86


Cornton Vale
£20,030.74
£12,611.02
£11,275.87


Dumfries
£1,885.04
£1,737.90
£1,364.91


Edinburgh
£26,450.06
£21,113.91
£19,699.23


Glenochil
£24,248.65
£20,547.56
£14,916.48


Greenock
£7,885.62
£8,980.20
£9,830.47


Inverness
£2,583.62
£2,009.74
£1,968.99


Open Estate
£20,700.21
£15,072.86
£18,580.79


Perth
£13,262.15
£19,497.40
£16,027.52


Peterhead
£3,250.47
£2,927.00
£1,730.63


Polmont
£8,058.79
£9,837.04
£977.76


Shotts
£33,174.09
£41,327.47
£22,988.41



  Note: 1. HMP Addiewell opened in December 2008 and carries out most of its drug testing in house. The only chargeable costs are those tests for Prisoner Progression and Parole.

Retail Sector

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing a national policy to set out criteria for granting supermarkets a non-food retail space as a proportion of total sales area.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is aware of the need to maintain a level playing field between large retailers and small and medium-sized players in the retail sector, in both the food and non-food segments. The Scottish Government’s proposal for a large retail supplement on business rates for supermarkets and other large retailers had exactly this objective in mind.

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish on its website (a) detailed job descriptions of each member of the Infrastructure Investment Group, (b) details of what each member has done in relation to their role on the group, (c) the number of hours that each member spends on infrastructure investment business in each month and (d) an update every three months of what each has done in relation to their role.

John Swinney: My responses to the four separate points are as follows:

  (a) Civil Servants agree with their managers objectives at the start of every reporting year (which runs 1 April to 31 March) as part of the annual performance management arrangements. Their objectives are personal data and would therefore not be publicly disclosed on the Scottish Government's website under Data Protection provisions.

  (b) As part of the programme of work in response to recommendations from Audit Scotland and the Public Audit Committee, the Scottish Government conducted a thorough review of governance of the Scottish Government's capital programme. The main conclusion from this review is that we should establish an Infrastructure Investment Board (IIB) to take on an executive role in infrastructure governance. Further details of the IIB's remit and membership can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/18232/IIB.

  Specifically, the IIB will:

  provide strategic scrutiny of high-value major infrastructure projects at an early stage;

  use robust management information to review the governance and delivery of the capital programme, including the Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP), and, where appropriate, specific major projects;

  provide advice to Ministers about capital investment priorities to inform decision-making; and

  review portfolio-level governance and decision-making structures for capital projects to ensure these are fit for purpose.

  In view of the establishment of the IIB, it was decided at the end of last year that the core information and best practice sharing activities between directors and key agencies currently performed by IIG should be merged with other official level groups. This in no way denigrates the worthwhileness of the IIG, but is simply a continuation in the ongoing process to improve financial governance of the capital budget sought by Audit Scotland and the Public Audit Committee.

  The last meeting of the IIG took place on the 24 August 2010, with the first IIB being held on 1 November 2010.

  (c) As indicated in my answer to question S3W-37255 on 26 November 2010, meetings of the IIG generally occurred only quarterly, with agenda items varying per meeting. This meant that individual contributions towards the group, both prior to and following meetings would have fluctuated depending on the agenda, what projects they were involved in and whether they were presenting a paper.

  In terms of infrastructure investment work more generally, this also differs throughout the organisation, and also per month. The amount of time spent on such activities is very much dependent on what infrastructure investment projects individual divisions are leading or providing advice on, and as you will appreciate from the list of agenda items previously supplied to you, this can fluctuate over time. It should also be noted that work on infrastructure investment would be delegated within the areas senior staff are responsible for, and that simply providing senior staff hours does not provide information on the value of the work that the directorate or division has collectively provided.

  (d) IIG has been disbanded and as such there is no further call on its members in relation to their work within the IIG. Information regarding the activities of IIB will be routinely published on the Scottish Government's website.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Smoking

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in monitoring the reduction of smoking in prisons.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Prevalence of smoking within prisons is recorded as part of the prisoner survey. In 2008, prevalence was 79% overall; in 2009, the figure was 76%. The next survey takes place later this year.

  Stop smoking services are available for prisoners. Since 2006 over 1,500 prisoners have made quit attempts, with a success rate similar to community rates.

Sport

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is in place for the training of jockeys.

Angela Constance: Until recently this training was funded by the Learning and Skills Council. I have recently been made aware that as a result of the transfer of responsibilities from the Learning and Skills Council to the Skills Funding agency in England, only individuals from England will be funded to undertake jockey training.

  I have asked officials to speak to the relevant Sector Skills Councils for this area to look at how we ensure support for Scottish candidates going forward.

Sport

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with training providers regarding the future training of jockeys.

Angela Constance: The Scottish Government has regular discussions with training providers and their representative bodies regarding future provision of training. No training provider has approached the Scottish Government seeking to discuss the future training of jockeys.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39056 on 7 February 2011. I have recently been made aware of changes to funding arrangements for jockeys. I have asked officials to speak with the relevant Sector Skills Councils to discuss this matter.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Sport

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role Skills Development Scotland will play in the future training of jockeys.

Angela Constance: As in my answers to questions S3W-39056 and S3W-39057 on 7 February 2011, I have asked officials to speak to the relevant Sector Skills Councils to ensure that they are meeting the demands of Scottish employers in this sector. I will ensure that Skills Development Scotland are involved in these discussions.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Transport

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent to support the installation and use of smart electronic ticket machines by bus operators.

Keith Brown: The total amount spent to support the installation and use of smart electronic ticket machines is £49.49 million. This represents costs up to March 2011. £40.79 million relates to the supply of electronic ticketing machines to bus operators, supporting communications and back office systems and the associated consultancy and support services. £8.7 million relates to running costs between 2005 and March 2011 and the provision of a back office managed service.

Weather

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38295 by Kenny MacAskill on 13 January 2011, on what dates the Scottish Resilience Development Service has coordinated training events or exercises for responders specifically on managing severe adverse weather conditions since 1 February 2010.

Kenny MacAskill: Since 1 February 2010 the Scottish Resilience Development Service has delivered multi-agency training events for strategic and tactical managers in responder organisations across Scotland on the following dates:

  

Month
Course Dates


February 2010
3


March 2010
30


April 2010
21 and 27


May 2010
6 x 2, 24 and 25


June 2010
7, 8, 10, 15 and 30


July 2010
1, 5, 21 and 29


August 2010
6, 9, 13, 19 x 2, 24 and 25


September 2010
1, 13, 14, 20, 29 and 30


October 2010
22


November 2010
4, 5, 10 x 2,11, 16, 17, 23 and 25


December 2010
9 and 15


January 2011
14, 19, 20, 26 and 27



  These training events provide attendees with the skills required to respond to emergencies irrespective of the cause but scenarios based around severe weather and flooding are included in the training material.

Wind Farms

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to overcome the delay in wind farm projects due to radar issues and when the matter will be resolved with aviation stakeholders.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government (SG) has been very proactive in overcoming delays to wind farm developments due to radar issues. The SG formed the South West Scotland Aviation Solution Group in March 2009 which has met seven times and brings together all the relevant stakeholders. Developments in this forum led to the publication of the SG’s Feasibility Report which described the potential for finding solutions to radar issues and is the foundation upon which much of the progress made to date has been built. SG is also member of the Aviation Management Board which brings stakeholders together at UK level, including to support the development of new technological solutions.

  The work is ongoing and covers a multitude of developments requiring different solutions, including some at pre-planning stage, so it is not possible to apply any timescales for completion.

  Further information on the issue and the feasibility report can be obtained on the SG website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Infrastructure/Energy-Consents/Guidance.

Wind Farms

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for wind farm approvals have been sent to a public local inquiry since May 2007.

Jim Mather: Since May 2007 the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals has held 31 public local inquiries to consider proposed wind farm developments. These include appeals for Section 36 wind farm applications made to ministers, applications for wind farms called in by Scottish Ministers and planning appeals to ministers against decisions made by local planning authorities.

Wind Farms

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what applications for wind farm developments it has approved when there has been an outstanding objection from Scottish Natural Heritage since May 2007.

Jim Mather: Records show that the Scottish Government has consented two windfarms with an outstanding Scottish Natural Heritage objection since May 2007. These are: (1) Mark Hill in South Ayrshire, consented in June 2008, and; (2) Fallago Rig, in the Scottish Borders, consented in November 2010 after two pubic inquires.

Wind Farms

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in referring a wind farm application to a public local inquiry, it may specify the grounds (a) on which it is referring the matter and (b) to be considered by the inquiry.

Jim Mather: Advice provided by officials to Scottish Ministers will provide factual information on the responses from consultees and a recommendation, both of which inform ministers’ decision whether or not to refer an application to public local inquiry. The minute of appointment of the reporter to a public local inquiry may also provide the reporter with some background on the grounds for holding the inquiry.

  Scottish Ministers have discretion in the matter of whether or not to limit the scope of a public local inquiry.

Wind Farms

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis the Dunbeath wind farm application was referred to a public local inquiry.

Jim Mather: Among other concerns raised, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), a statutory consultee, objected to the proposal and did not withdraw their objection. SNH highlighted concerns about significant adverse impacts on key landscape characteristics of the area and visual amenity. Scottish Ministers determined that in this instance a public local inquiry is the only way to ensure that concerns raised by SNH and others are properly weighed against local and broader economic benefits, the need to generate renewable electricity and wider public interests.

Wind Farms

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what timescale it has set for consideration of the Dunbeath wind farm public local inquiry.

Jim Mather: The Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals will shortly be writing to all parties involved and who have made representations on the proposed Dunbeath wind farm to confirm arrangements for a pre examination meeting, which is likely to be held in March 2011. Arrangements for any hearing or inquiry sessions will be discussed at this meeting although at this stage, it is anticipated that they will be held in May/June this year and that the reporter will report to Scottish Ministers in late Summer 2011.